We are delighted to announce that our much-loved Churchill’s Birthday Cigar Evening will be taking place on Thursday, November 30th, at our St. James’s flagship shop, located at 19 St. James’s Street. This event has become a cherished tradition for us, as we come together to celebrate the enduring legacy of one of our shop’s most esteemed patrons, Sir Winston Churchill.

For Churchill's Birthday 2023 we will pair a Romeo y Julieta Churchill with Tesseron Cognac Lot No.90 & Lot No.76

Born on November 30th, 1874, Sir Winston Churchill is widely regarded by many as the greatest Briton of all time. His life was a captivating tapestry of experiences, from his time as a Prisoner of War during the Boer War in 1899, where he made a dramatic escape, to his iconic role as the face of the Allies against the Axis powers during World War II, leading the alliance to victory in 1945 after six gruelling years of war.

Throughout his life, Churchill was renowned for his indulgence in life's finer pleasures, with few things more cherished than cigars, champagne, and cognac. The legend of his cigar and champagne consumption has grown over the years, with remarkable accounts of his indulgence. Even during wartime scarcities, there was never a shortage of cigars, champagne, and cognac for Sir Winston.

Churchill's Ledger at James J Fox's Freddie Fox Museum at 19 St James's Street

After the war officially ended, despite failing to get re-elected as Prime Minister, Churchill had the opportunity to bask in the adulation. In the following year, he journeyed to Cuba and visited some of the factories where some of his most prized possessions were crafted. Many believe that this trip influenced the decision of Romeo y Julieta to rename the Julieta No. 2 to Churchill, though records suggest that the name 'Churchill' did not appear until the 1950s. Regardless of the historical details, Churchill remains a revered figure in Cuba, and Cuba must not forget how crucial their cigars were to him.

In honour of Sir Winston and his passions, we continue to host the Churchill Birthday Cigar Evening. Guests can savour a Julieta No. 2 (7’’ x 47) cigar, commonly known as a Churchill size, along with a couple of glasses of cognac and a welcome drink of Churchill’s beloved Pol Roger Champagne. This year, we will be featuring the Romeo y Julieta Churchill Habanos, a brand that Churchill particularly favoured.

churchill cigars and pol roger at jj fox cigars
One of Churchill's favourite cigar brands Romeo y Julieta (Habanos) with Churchill's favourite champagne house, Pol Roger

We change our Cognac brand every year to allow our guests to sample the outstanding spirits produced in the region. This year, we are thrilled to present Tesseron Cognac. Tesseron Cognacs are crafted from grapes in the two most prestigious appellations of the Cognac region, Grande Champagne, and Petite Champagne. Their 40 hectares of vineyards are situated in these regions. For this evening, we will be offering two cognacs from their XO Classique Collection: Lot No. 90 X.O Ovation and Lot No. 76 X.O Tradition. We are pleased to welcome Tesseron's European and Africa Sales Director, Arnaud Dean, who will share why Tesseron produces some of the world's finest Cognacs, with the evidence right in your glass.

We have an upcoming blog post that will explore the pairing of the four cognacs in their Classique collection (Lot No. 90, Lot No. 76, Lot No. 53 X.O Perfection, and the special Lot No. 29 X.O Exception).

Tesseron X.O Classique Collection

We eagerly await our guests arrival at James J Fox on Thursday, November 30th, at 6:30 PM for an unforgettable evening on St. James’s, marking the last of our cigar evenings for 2023. Tickets are now sold out, but we will return in January for another Cigar Sampling Evening at James J Fox.